READERSVOICE.COM: When did you start your website goodshowsir.com, and what are the advantages of having a webcomic?

ADAM SZYMCZAK: I started GOOD SHOW, SIR! about a year and a half ago. I’ve been reading webcomics for a long time, and when I decided to start making comics of my own I wanted to be able to show them to people instantly. Webcomics allow this instant feedback, something print comics don’t really afford you, even if you have the chance to get published. The web also seemed like a great place to cut my teeth and get my name out there when I was first starting to make comics.

RV: You mention some other comics in your comments on your drawings, like Rice Boy and Orc Stain. But I was wondering if you could name some of your favorite webcomics and other comics.

AS: It’s hard to list my favorites because I have so many, but I’ll tell you about some comics I’ve enjoyed recently. Webcomics wise, I’ve been really enjoying VATTU (http://www.rice-boy.com), the new comic by RICE BOYartist Evan Dahm. NEDROID (http://www.nedroid.com), an amazingly well written gag comic by Anthony Clarke, is necessary reading. Dustin Harbin does some awesome auto-bio comics and other stuff at his site, DHARBIN (http://www.dharbin.com/).

In print stuff, besides ORC STAIN, which is probably my favorite comic on the stands right now, I’ve been reading a lot of Franco-Belgian comics. DUNGEON, by Trondheim, Sfar, and a wealth of guest artists, is a hilarious fantasy comic about the proprietors of a deadly dungeon for foolhardy adventurers. It’s a ton of fun and is beautifully drawn by dozens of excellent artists. I’ve been loving anything and everything by Christophe Blain, including ISAAC THE PIRATE and GUS & HIS GANG. And I recently read MISS DON’T TOUCH ME by Kerascoet.

I’ve also been reading some manga, like Naoki Urasawa’s excellent BILLY BAT. Urasawa is a master, and anything by him is gold, so far as I’m concerned. I’ve also been digging through Taiyo Matsumoto’s stuff whenever I can find it.

There’s other stuff I’ve been reading, but those are the things that I’m really enjoying these days, and that I’m getting a lot of inspiration from.

RV: What sort of other books do you like to read and can you mention a few titles?

AS: I read anything that sounds interesting, but generally I read a lot of science fiction. Recently I’ve been reading China Mieville’s PERDIDO STREET STATION, which is a fantastic piece of sci-fi world building and high concept weirdness. I’ve also read his wonderful slightly more reality based THE CITY & THE CITY, which I highly recommend. I’ve also been reading Stanislaw Lem’s work, and am slowly working through a stack of books I’ve borrowed from friends.

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-copyright Simon Sandall.